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Chuck's Story (Spinal Stenosis)

Chuck Zingler has always led a very active life, and the retired Naval Officer turned businessman is still constantly on the move. Chuck often travels for work and keeps in shape with regular weightlifting, golf and running.

Chuck had already been dealing with pain and numbness from spinal stenosis when a disk in the lower part of his neck ruptured in December 2014, causing him to lose a great deal of feeling and function in his left fingers, hand and arm. For the better part of a month, he was unable to sit, stand or lay down for extended periods – hugely impacting his ability to rest or sleep.

After consulting with two highly referred physicians in his local Washington DC area, both of whom made immediate recommendations for multiple-level surgical fusions of the mid-upper level vertebrae, Chuck decided to seek a second opinion and scheduled a consultation with Dr. Andrea Douglas, Stamford Hospital’s Chief of Neurosurgery, during a business trip to New York.

“Even prior to meeting Dr. Douglas in person, she spent 40 minutes talking to me about my MRIs and X-Rays and prepared me for the upcoming visit,” recalled Chuck. “She was just so insightful and poised, and I was confident that I would have a much different experience with her.”